Hi, after reading about all the faults of the years, most, if not all have been sorted. I would go for the one you like the most, or, if an earlier car, the one with most upgrades. As a self confessed mechanic, minor upgrades or mods you should be able to carry out yourself, just to make it yours.
Avoid the risk of a breaking chassis of early production cars. A self confessed mechanic may be overwhelmed with such problem.